The NFL Lockout finally appears to be headed for an end, as teams should enter training camps this week. Also expect this week to mark the beginning of one of the weirdest, most frenzied free agency periods in NFL history.
As late as last week, there appeared to be a rift between the owners and players, as the owners passed their own version of a Collective Bargaining Agreement that included terms the players hadn't negotiated. But both groups were highly motivated to bring the lockout to an end, with lucrative preseason games approaching.
The players' executive committee is in Washington DC and will, apparently, vote to end the lockout Monday. Some teams will then report to training camps on Wednesday, and players will vote to recertify their union at some point soon after. The free agency period could begin late in the week. Here's a list of key free agents, although the Steelers are likely to focus on cornerback Ike Taylor.